The document discusses how most of the world's population is not online and how mobile phones can help address this issue. It notes that while 1.7 billion people are regular internet users, 5.1 billion have access but don't use it, and 3.4 billion have access but no usage. A key reason for lack of usage is that the internet available on mobile phones is primarily limited to SMS, voice, and basic apps and widgets rather than full web access. For the web to be truly accessible to more people, it needs applications, technology, content, and business models tailored to local languages, low-literacy users, and relevant local content. Examples from India and Africa show how mobile platforms can be leveraged to

1. Advance
the
Web
to
Empower
People
The Remaining 5 Billion
Why is Most of The World's Population Not Online
and What Mobile Phones Can Do About It
Max Froumentin, Program Manager
World Wide Web Foundation
October 2010

2. Copyright © 2009. World Wide Web Foundation. All rights reserved 2
World population 2010
(photo:Nasa)

3. Copyright © 2009. World Wide Web Foundation. All rights reserved 3
1.7 billion
(25%)
Regular internet users
(photo:opte.org)

4. Copyright © 2009. World Wide Web Foundation. All rights reserved 4
5.1 bn (75%)
Have access to the Web

5. Copyright © 2009. World Wide Web Foundation. All rights reserved 5
3.4 bn (50%)
World population that has access to the Web but doesn’t use it

6. That seems like a lot
Copyright © 2009. World Wide Web Foundation. All rights reserved 6
75% of the world’s population have access to the Web
Really?

7. What is internet access?
Copyright © 2009. World Wide Web Foundation. All rights reserved 7
Desktop

8. It’s also mobile
Copyright © 2009. World Wide Web Foundation. All rights reserved 8

9. It’s also mobile
Copyright © 2009. World Wide Web Foundation. All rights reserved 9
Very few people

10. Copyright © 2009. World Wide Web Foundation. All rights reserved 10
Texting
Messaging

11. Copyright © 2009. World Wide Web Foundation. All rights reserved 11
Calling

12. What the Web actually is
Copyright © 2009. World Wide Web Foundation. All rights reserved 12
Web
Browser
The Web
HTTP
URI
URIURI

13. What the Web actually is
Copyright © 2009. World Wide Web Foundation. All rights reserved 13
Web
Browser
The Web
HTTP
URI
URIURI
Mobile
Browser

14. What the Web actually is
Copyright © 2009. World Wide Web Foundation. All rights reserved 14
SMS Gateway
Web
Browser
Apps &
Widgets
The Web
HTTP
URI
URIURI
Voice
Browser
Mobile
Browser

15. The
Web
URI
I
The
Web
The
Web
The
Web
The
Web
The
Web
The
Web
The
Web
What the Web actually is
Copyright © 2009. World Wide Web Foundation. All rights reserved 15
SMS Gateway
Web
Browser
Apps &
Widgets
HTTP
Voice
Browser
Mobile
Browser

16. Consequences
Copyright © 2009. World Wide Web Foundation. All rights reserved 16
Why are there 3.4 billion people not using the Web?

17. Consequences
Copyright © 2009. World Wide Web Foundation. All rights reserved 17
- Language not supported (speech, fonts, etc.)
- No relevant content
- No interesting content
- No local content
- No useful content
- Not in my language
- I can’t read
- My government doesn’t allow it

18. 1. Technical issues / SMS
Copyright © 2009. World Wide Web Foundation. All rights reserved 18
SMS
• Output: display of characters
• Fixed 160-byte payload
• Originally 140 7-bit ASCII
• Then 70 16-bit Unicode
• Then 140 7-bit language tables
• Input
• 12-key dial pads
• or more sophisticated
• No documentation
• No authoring tools, etc.

19. 1. Technical issues / Voice
Copyright © 2009. World Wide Web Foundation. All rights reserved 19
Voice (Interactive Voice Response)
• Output: prompts ok, speech synthesis very limited
• Input: either dial-pad, or speech recognition
• Acceptance of dialog systems / NLP
• Similar connected issues as SMS for development

20. 2. Non-technical issues
Copyright © 2009. World Wide Web Foundation. All rights reserved 20
No content that is:
• local
• interesting
• relevant

21. Consequences
Copyright © 2009. World Wide Web Foundation. All rights reserved 21
No knowledge of:
• Applications
• Technology
• Business models

22. Consequences
Copyright © 2009. World Wide Web Foundation. All rights reserved 22
Business opportunities
• Seed funding
• Revenue model

23. Copyright © 2009. World Wide Web Foundation. All rights reserved 23
Chhattisgarh

24. CGNet Swara
Copyright © 2009. World Wide Web Foundation. All rights reserved 24
Chhattisgarh

25. Copyright © 2009. World Wide Web Foundation. All rights reserved 25
The Web For Regreening Alliance

26. Copyright © 2009. World Wide Web Foundation. All rights reserved 26
W4RA
Yacouba Sawadogo

27. Conclusion
Copyright © 2009. World Wide Web Foundation. All rights reserved 27
Many opportunities
Many problems